Warnings: Sexual Themes.

Chapter 8

Eli tapped her finger against the table just to annoy everyone in the room. He had been sitting there for nearly a half an hour bored out of her mind. She knew she was being punished, but that did stop her from rebelling against the punishment. The only ones that seemed to be able to handle Eli's antics where Fury and Thor, who was off brooding in the corner.

"You know, I really need a shower," Eli said for the tenth time to Fury, who completely ignored her. "Eventually one of us are going to break, and either way, I'm going to get a shower."

Still nothing. Eli sighed with frustration. She knew exactly what Fury wanted, but he was waiting for her to make the first move. Fury was different than Tony though. Tony, given enough time, would break under Eli's antics. Fury was used to things like she was doing; probably used to things far worse than what Eli had been doing. Steve, though, was nothing like Fury or Tony.

"I'm going to check on Stark and Dr. Banner," he said. Eli watched him leave the room. She gazed to her left, Natasha was deep in thought and wasn't paying attention. Fury had his back facing her, and Maria was watching a monitor. The only one that had a good view of Eli, was Phil. That was about as good as it was going to get.

Suddenly, Eli stood and sped walked for the door, as Phil turned to one of the computer technicians asked for his help. Natasha was the first one to see Eli move, but the brunette was already half way to the door. Eli heard the footsteps behind stop as she reached the door. It opened for her smoothly.

The Helicarrier was a bit complicated to navigate through, but she was able to do it. The living areas were two decks down, and the only way to get to the lower decks was a staircase that was after the labs, which she was fast approaching. Eli knew she was being followed, and was determined not to stop, but familiar voices made her stop.

"…you're confused about why they did want you around." she heard Steve say. There was only one person he could be talking to that way.

"An intelligence organization that fears intelligence?" Tony said as if he was talking to a child. "Historically, not awesome."

"I think Loki's trying to wind us up." Steve tried to reason. Eli leaned against the wall. Steve was most likely right. Loki had already gotten himself into her head, and no doubt both Tony's and Dr. Banner's as well. "This is a man who means to start a war, and if we don't stay focused, he'll succeed. We have orders. We should follow them."

"Following's not really my style," Eli heard Tony say, and she knew that a potential fight would happen if Steve didn't take this in stride.

"And you're all about style, aren't you?" Steve countered.

"Of the people in this room, which one is, A, wearing a spangly outfit, and, B, not of use?" Eli stopped listening after that. Suddenly she became very concerned about her heroes. They just didn't mix very well. Eli wished that she was a mutant desperately at the moment. That way she could at least make everyone work together and play nice. Eli almost went into the room to tell Tony that she would apologize if everyone stopped fighting. The conflict she was feeling must have shown on her face, because Phil came up next to her.

"They'll be okay you know," he said.

"I'm worried, Phil," Eli said. "They just don't get along well. You didn't see the fight between the three of them, and I know that Loki has already gotten into all of our heads. I'm really worried." Eli paused. "This could have been all over with if I had still been a mutant…"

"Eli," Phil said is his calm voice. "what we have is a room filled with egos. Well, an entire flying boat of egos really," Eli laughed at that. "but if anyone can pull themselves together and stop Loki, it's them. And that's because they are heroes."

"Eli looked up and into Phil's eyes. They were filled with determination, and Eli realized that Phil was right. Despite all of the flaws that Tony had, he was still able to put on his suit every time an occasion called for it, and save the day. All of them had, from what Eli could tell, even Thor and Dr. Banner had tried their hardest to save lives. Eli nodded.

"You're right. Now take me to the nearest shower," Phil laughed at Eli, and the two headed toward the staircase. "Oh, and are coming to my recital?"

"If I do, will I get a good seat?" Phil asked as he lead the two.

"You're the only one that would be in the front row," Eli said knowingly. Phil looked at her strangely as he tried to figure out why it was so important that he go to her recital. They finally made it to the showers.

"I'll come back in a half hour to check up on you. Please be ready and dressed, and I'll escort you back to the Conference Room." Phil said in his agent voice.

"What happens if I'm not ready?" Eli couldn't help but ask.

"Then I'll force you to watch reality TV until Tony asks you to help him find the Cube." he replied. Eli did a double-take to see if Phil was joking or not. He wasn't joking. She only nodded her head.

Eli stepped into the shower and thought over the last day and a half. The world was turned upside down and turned inside out. Her world in particularly. No matter how hard she had tried and forced herself not to think about him, Loki kept popping into her thoughts. Particularly of when she was undressing in front of him, and of the way his eyes followed her every movement.

Eli had to stop herself from trailing her hands in the same motion twice. Hot water was not pouring over her body. Her hair was up, so she wouldn't have to worry about it getting wet, but she wanted to feel the water on her scalp. Breaking, Eli let the water run over her head. She told herself that she did it so that she could clear her head, but even as she thought that, and image of Loki's hands trailing the contours of her body flashed into her mind.

Eli bit her lip. She was not ready in any way shape or form to give into what she was feeling, and she was certainly feeling something. She could feel her core start to throb at the thoughts that she couldn't crush out of her brain. That man's lips, fingers, tongue, and-

Eli bit her tongue to stop herself from getting carried away. And tried to think of something that made her only bothered. A warm light for all mankind to share… the phrase had stuck with her for a while now. Eli quickly scrubbed her skin and hair, as she was trying not to touch a single part of her body for too long for the fear of other thoughts barging into her mind.

The girl stepped out of the shower to find a plush white towel and her traveling bag with all of her clothes in them. As Loki's words burned in her mind, Eli steeled her resolve and went through her clothes. She cursed herself for not bringing any actual pants. Eli glared at her choice in clothes, she was forced to put on tights, a dress and a pair of heels. Luckily for her, the color palate was black and grey. She would blend into the shadows of the Helicarrier easier now.

Eli left the bathroom with her things. The first person who seen her looked her up and down. Eli cursed her need for attention. The red shoes, the only shoes, she had brought with her, beside the pair that Loki destroyed, were perfectly selected so people would do exactly what the person in front of her did: ogle her, and wish they could have her or be her.

Eli really hated being narcissistic sometimes, but only sometimes. Eli smiled toothily and pulled her hair up into a loose bun. The guy did a double take and left the room, completely forgetting what he was supposed to be doing. It was now or never, and Eli chose now. She could only hope that her good looks would keep her out of trouble long enough for her to get to the more secluded areas of the Helicarrier.

As Eli reached the back of the Helicarrier she kept telling herself that the reason she was going to see Loki was not because she wanted to see him, or feel his gaze on her skin, or to simply hear the rich tones of his voice. Instead, she told herself that she was going to solve the mystery of the warm light.

In the more secluded Detention Center, there were guards that blocked the most direct path to the cylinder cell that Loki was placed in. Eli smirked at how little their defenses were. Even with her heels on, Eli jumped onto the railing that she was next to and up to the pipes that ran along the ceiling; all without making a single noise. All those years of training with Mystique proved be one useful ventures she had ever taken on.

Eli crawled from one room to the next, and came into an open area with a staircase. If she went a little further, Eli could be just above the cell. The blue eyed girl was surprised to she Natasha there. Even more surprised by where the conversation between the Russian and Asgardian was going.

"-daughter. Sao Paolo. The hospital fire? Barton told me everything." Eli knew what Loki was referring to, even without ever delving into Natasha's mind, she knew. Natasha was famous in Russia for the things she had done, and, like Eli, they were things that she was not proud of. "Your ledger is dripping. It's gushing red and you think saving a man no more virtuous than yourself will change anything? This is the basest sentimentality. This is a child at prayer. Pathetic!" Natasha was unable to keep the fear off of her face. Eli wondered how much of it was an act.

"You lie and kill in the service of liars and killers. You pretend to be separate, to have your own code, something that makes up for the horrors. But they are part of you. And they will never go away." Eli knew that was true, even in her case. She had been with the Brotherhood for some time, before she became disillusioned to their violent ways. She had turned a new leaf, but that still didn't stop her from missing the kind of power that Erik Lensherr offered her, or his words. If it hadn't been for Pepper, Tony and Rhodey, Eli would still be nothing more than a menace to society. The sound of a fist on glass made both Eli and Natasha jump, and Eli knew that Natasha wasn't acting now. The Russian was truly terrified. Loki's words had gotten to the most stone faced women she had ever known.

"I won't touch Barton, not until I make him kill you. Slowly, intimately, in everyway he knows you fear, and then he'll wake just long enough to see his good work and when he screams, I'll split his skull." Loki spat, his voice was practically a growl and shivers ran up Eli's spine despite the horrid image that was in her head. Natasha turned away from Loki. What Loki saw as weakness, Eli saw as an expert spy composing herself. "This is my bargain you mewling quim."

"You're a monster," Natasha said with a faux shaky voice. Loki laughed.

"Oh, no. You brought the monster," Loki smirked, and Natasha turned back completely composed and cold as her old self.

"So, Banner. That's your play," Natasha said as she looked Loki in the eye.

"What?" Loki was in disbelief, Eli really had to hand it to Natasha, she was certainly the best.

"Loki means to unleash the Hulk. Keep Banner in the Lab. I'm on my way. Send Thor as well." Natasha said into an earpiece as she walked away from Loki. The captured god followed Natasha's movements. Suddenly, Natasha turned back towards Loki, and with a deep breath said, "Thank you, for your cooperation." and walked away, leaving Loki in angry disbelief.

Eli left her hiding place from the ceiling, and walked up to the chair that Natasha had been sitting in moments ago, all with the silence of a cat.

"Don't let her get you down. She's the best in the business, not even some of the powerful telepathic mutants can out wit her." Eli said, and conveniently left out the fact that he really did get to her. Slowly, Loki turned to look at her. Green hued eyes pierced Eli, and she felt that heat rush through her body again. "Although, I suppose that you can't even match up to even the weakest of mutants."

"Brave words from the other side of a cage," Loki said with annoyance. Feeling the challenge, Eli smirked at Loki. Of all the stupid things that the brunette could have done at the moment, she chose the stupidest among them.

Eli closed her eyes to concentrate. Kitty's mutant abilities were on of Eli's favorites to use, and she used them considerably more than Xavier's. Tingling spread across Eli's entire body. Without opening her eyes, Eli crossed through the glass and entered the cell that Loki occupied.

"You're still weaker than a mutant," Eli said with a smirk and opened her eyes, completely disregarding the reason she was there in the first place.

"Impressive, but it takes so much out of you," Loki said. Eli knew that it was dangerous to use so many mutant abilities in one day. She could feel her body start to slow down and try to recuperate, but Eli was too proud to ever show weakness.

"And you will still lose," Eli mocked back. Loki was on Eli faster than her body could react. His strong hand wrapped itself around her neck and he forced her up against the wall. He let Eli hang a whole foot above the ground.

"Even you doubt that you'll win," Eli choked out. Is as suddenly as he attacked her, Loki dropped Eli with a huff. That time she didn't land quietly, Loki looked to her feet and up her legs, where he quickly glared up at Eli's face.

"And you doubt that your heroes will win," Loki spat at the brunette. The harsh statement hit Eli right to her core. If everyone didn't start to try to work together soon, then Loki would win for sure. Eli looked Loki straight in the eye.

"You're right. I'm not so sure that my heroes will win." Eli admitted. "But, you seem like the kind of guy who enjoys a good wager. If you do manage to win, I will help you subjugate the human race. Starting with S.H.I.E.L.D. But if I win, you have to teach me Asgardian magic; by letting me into your mind." Eli ignored the fact that she really didn't want to know Asgardian magic, all she wanted was a free pass into his mind.

"You really are quite pathetic aren't you. Having to depend on me. Are you so incapable of anything that you have to use me as a crutch?" Loki ridiculed the small girl.

"No matter what you say, you are the same as me." Eli said with unbridled confidence. Loki pinned Eli to the wall again, just as violently as the first time, but instead of choking her Loki gripped her shoulders with nearly enough force to break the girl's clavicles. Loki bent down so that he was eye level with Eli.

"I am nothing like you," he said through clenched teeth. His face was impossibly close to Eli's.

"You need me as much as I need you," Eli said with conviction. Something small changed in Loki's expression. His jaw unclenched and his eyes softened only in the slightest and his grip loosened just barely. It was something that if she had not been so close to him Eli wouldn't have noticed.

Loki looked as though he was about to say something, but the entire Helicarrier jolted. Unprepared for the sudden quake, Eli fell into Loki. In that small moment, due to the proximity of the warring pair, Eli's lips brushed against Loki's. Electricity pulsed through Eli's entire body. Blue eyes fluttered shut and the kiss lingered for moments. Eli jerked back after a moment realizing that she was just kissing the man that had ambitions to enslave the human race.

Loki didn't let Eli escape for long. He dove in for another kiss. His fingers brushed through brown hair, causing the loose bun to fall out, and her hair to become chilled. Eli could only whimper in protest. There was something that since the moment she had met him told her that she wanted to have Loki in every way possible. It told her that she needed to know him in mind, body and soul.

The electricity sparked by the first instantaneous kiss was now building into a full force storm. Desperately, Eli clung to Loki's body, trying to pull him closer. Loki was also pulling Eli closer, he lifted her so that the petite girl's mouth and neck were in an easier position for him to reach. Eli wrapped her legs around the god's waist. The skirt of Eli's dress had risen up to her hips.

Loki's tongue entered Eli's waiting mouth and she moaned at the cool sensation of him. One of his hands ran down the length of her body to her leg, where he gripped and pulled her closer to him. Eli gasped out as he ground into her in a pulsating rhythm. At the loss of her mouth, Loki attacked the pale column of neck nipping and sucking on her.

Eli didn't care that the god was completely dominating her. She didn't care that there was probably complete chaos going around the Helicarrier. At the moment all she cared about was getting the man, who was inching his hand up to her core, out of his armor and clothes. Eli whimpered when Loki bypassed her now dripping core and went up her dress to touch her flat stomach.

Loki smirked and licked Eli's lips before plundering them once again. She hadn't felt this blissful in her entire life. Not when she first met Pepper, or when Mystic offered sanctuary, or even when she first realized that she could do some good in the world. Eli desperately needed to feel Loki's skin on hers. Just as she was about to beg him to take her, a loud roar thundered through the Detention Center.